How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you don't need the most advanced features like mapping and you aren't worried about emptying your bin every 60 to 90 days, a basic robotic vacuum is likely to be the best choice for you. Pick a model that has clean and tidy base that is compatible with voice assistants.

It is a pro at picking up dirt, clumps of cat litter and pet hair on hardwood floors, tile and low-pile carpeting better than any other vacuum we've tried. It also maps and create virtual no-go zones in rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum can keep up with the dust, pet hair and dander that accumulates on your floors on a daily basis. It can also cut down on the frequency you have to clean your floors, saving your time and effort. The best models come with powerful suction, which can pure clean robot vacuum up most mess with ease and leave your home cleaner.

You can cover more area by using a robot vacuum and mop, which is particularly useful if you have an extensive home. There are models with a tank for water either integrated into the chassis or as an extra piece that you can take out after vacuuming. It'll need to be filled and empty, so it's an extra task to complete.

In a perfect universe, you would clear your floors first before using your robot vacuum to prevent it from hitting anything. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Thankfully, most models let you use your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot will see and avoid. Some models have no-go zones, which you can flag areas you don't wish it to access. For example, a child's room or a pile cords in an area.

If you're looking for a basic robot vacuum with no bells and whistles, this model from the company that makes networking TP-Link is a great option. It's quiet, it can be used on hard floors as well as carpets with low pile and can be programmed using the app to mop and vacuum at your own convenience. It's got a long battery life that can last up to 180 minutes.

2. Easy to Operate

In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They make use of navigation tools such as sensors and lasers to move around obstacles and remove food particles, dust and pet hair from floors, tile, hardwood and low-pile carpets. Many have boundary strips to allow them to stay within the walls of a room, while pricier models can be programmed to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a predetermined time. Some models include fall detection technology that helps users avoid falling down the stairs or getting caught in cords.

Look for models that you can control from your couch using voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. Also, look for models with Wi-Fi connectivity that let you start cleaning from any location through an app. You may prefer an option with an extremely long-lasting battery as well as a large dust bin, Pure clean robot vacuum depending on the size of your home.

Certain robot vacuum for carpet vacuums are also mops. They utilize water reservoirs to clean the floor. This is helpful for everyday mopping, but will not be effective for messes that are more difficult to clean, such as pet poop or other spills that are wet. You can pick hybrids that have an adjustable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying option that allows you to stay up to 60 days before emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots use advanced mapping technology to create a precise map as they clean. This helps them avoid crashing into furniture and getting caught on cords or chair legs. This feature is usually only available on more expensive models, but it's one of the best ways to ensure your robot has a complete understanding of the layout of your house and is aware of where to go when it's low on battery.

Most robots let you create virtual barriers. This can be done via an app or physically-based boundary strips. This allows you to define areas that you don't want your robot enter, so that it can concentrate its attention on the rooms and spaces that need the most cleaning.

Many robots can also automatically navigate to different floors based on the type of floor they're cleaning, whether that's changing between hard flooring and carpet or focusing on specific areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. In our tests it was a great feature that helped improve their pick-up scores for both carpeting made of low-pile or hardwood. It is important to secure any loose cords or furniture before using your robot vacuum so it doesn't get caught.

4. Remote Control

Most robot vacuums are WiFi-connected and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts that enable you to control them via voice commands or from your smartphone. Many quietest robot vacuum vacuums are connected to smart home systems and generate a map of the space they clean after each cleaning session. This lets them "learn" how your home is laid out, and then plan more efficient routes for future cleaning sessions. Some have built-in obstacle avoidance that stops them from hitting furniture and damaging it or getting stuck on things like charging cables that are loose shoes, laces for shoes and hair from pets.

The majority of robots come with a remote control that you can use to navigate them around your home. The majority of robots can be controlled via a mobile application which has more options. It is possible to create multiple cleaning schedules, make a list of favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot to specific areas by using directional arrows that appear on the screen.

Some models have no-go zones. These are virtual barriers that you can set up in the app to stop the robot from accessing certain areas (like toys for children or dishes for dogs and dog beds). Other apps let you make the map of your house and give the robot detailed information about your floors. The Roborock S7+ app has many useful features that will help you clean the house. However, its interface isn't quite as polished as that from iRobot or Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacs that can work a whole house without stopping to recharge or empty their trash bins make it easier for you to save time and effort. Some are compatible with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also create maps of the area for you to program them for certain rooms or areas and to stay clear of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums come with some level of object detection however, higher-end models such as the iRobot j7 come with advanced features such as "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that can really make your life easier (although our test bot did once "eat" the socks of a pair). socks). If you want to take your home cleaning to the next level, look for a robotic mop that comes with a tank of water that you fill and empty yourself.

While no of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking ability of a standup vacuum, they did an excellent job cleaning hard floors as well as carpets with a low pile. They are excellent at sweeping up food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked in. They are also able to handle screws and nuts made of metal and cats' litter. The best robot vacuums can clean edges and corners and can work around furniture. For an affordable model that can work on its own and is reasonably priced, check out the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right setup and the right setup, a robotic vacuum can assist you in keeping your home looking and feeling cleaner on a regular basis without much work from you. You can schedule cleanings in the app and create zones that are not allowed to enter so that your robot doesn't harm your plants or ruin your favorite chair. A majority of our top picks will empty their trash bins for you and clean their docking stations.

The best robot vacuums are programmable to keep your floors clean for weeks or even months at a time, making it easier to save time and effort of manually mopping or sweeping your floors each week or even every day. This lets you spend more time doing things you enjoy and reduces the amount of time required to clean your floors manually.

During testing, Q Revo was able to grab small particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also grabbed larger particles like nails and screws made of metal, as well as fluffy stuff like pet hair. It's not equipped with the sophisticated mapping and object avoidance features found in our top picks, however it's adequate for most families.

The greatest thing about the j7 is that it uses camera and processor-powered smarts to recognize and avoid obstacles such as shoes, power cords, socks and pet waste. This means you don't have to spend time tidying up before you can run your robot, however clutter in your home can mean the robot may become stuck and not do the job as well.